WHITTIER – Having lived through one of the darkest moments in this country’s history, the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II, it would have been understandable if Yoshio “Yosh” Nakamura had a bleak outlook on life.

Instead, the man who was taken away as a 16-year-old to a Japanese encampment near Fresno in May of 1942, has spent the past six decades making the world a brighter place.

A selection of his work, from 1949 to 2012, is currently on display at the Rio Hondo Art Gallery, 3600 Workman Mill Road, through Nov. 15.

“Retrospective: Yoshio C. Nakamura,” features more than 30 works in different mediums such as paintings in water colors, oils and acrylics, silk screens, etchings, stencil graphics and sculptures.

“Yosh is one of the college’s founding fathers,” gallery Director Robert Miller said. “I want the community and students to see that he epitomizes what an artist should be.”

He called the show a view into Nakamura’s life not only as an artist, but as a man.

“It’s quite something to see an array of 60 decades worth of art,” Nakamura admitted.

And its origins can be traced back to his internment.

“The country forgot its basic justice,” said Nakamura, who was born in Rosemead and grew up in El Monte, and is a longtime Whittier resident.

“Not wanting to feel like a victim, I looked at everything as an opportunity,” he said.

While incarcerated at another camp in Arizona, he looked to art as one way to make his situation as normal as possible.

Nakamura, 87, was one of the Japanese-American young men given the “opportunity” to be trained as soldiers and sent to fight in Europe in the 442nd Regiment.

At the end of his tour of duty, he took the opportunity to visit European museums.

“I got a real appreciation for what I saw,” Nakamura said.

When he returned to the U.S., a series of aptitude tests showed Nakamura would do well in art, teaching or social work.

At USC, he earned a BFA (Magna Cum Laude) and an MFA.

In 1952, he was hired as an art teacher at Whittier High School, and became the chairman of the Fine Arts Department from 1956 to 1963.

In 1963, Nakamura became Rio Hondo College’s first faculty member to be given a contract.

Moving up the ranks, he eventually retired in 1992 as vice president of community services and institutional development.

During that time, Nakamura created art.

“I knew I had to do some work and not just talk about it,” he explained. “My students inspired me.”

All through his life, art has been a refuge.

“It’s been something I’ve enjoyed everyday,” Nakamura said.

It’s also a shared passion with his wife, Grace, who is a photographer and watercolorist. Art has been followed by their three children. Their son, Joel, had one of his works used at the 2002 Winter Olympics, and has hung in every U.S. embassy.

“In a sense, love of art has helped sustain our relationship,” said Nakamura, of his 62-year marriage.

The gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday.

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